Countdown to Spring: Offensive Line

Steve Ryan

02/08/2006

Like almost every position on the field, there's only so much you are going to learn about the offensive line this spring. But that would only really be all that important if this line didn't have that much to prove. They do…….and then some. Statistically, this may have been the worst offensive line in Husker history. When you are at that point, it's time to start over, which they do this spring.

When it comes to rushing the ball, Nebraska fans beam
with pride, knowing that their University sported some of the best rushing teams
in the history of collegiate football.

Seems like a long time ago,
doesn't it?

It probably never seemed farther away than it did last year
as the 2005 Huskers put together the worst rushing performance by average in the
history of Husker football.

If that wasn't bad enough, they were amongst
the worst teams in the conference in protecting the quarterback – something I am
sure Zac Taylor could attest to, though, we know he never would.

So, with
all that "luster" going into this season, a spring where most people aren't used
to learning all that much about the team, will be the first opportunity for
offensive line coach Dennis Wagner to get his group to doing what they are
supposed to do and how they are supposed to do it.

We'll break this
group down by categories in what we think each has to do or is expected to do
this spring.

The first category is "The Next Step". It is for
those players, who got at least some time last year on the line, who have to
take their game to the next level. I will put them in order from top to bottom
as to who I think will have the biggest impact this spring, along with a brief
explanation as to why.

Matt Slauson – Slauson proved that even with a
rudimentary understanding of the offense, he's physically more than
capable of handling the position. He's quick off the ball, uses his hands
well and that's while still being too heavy and playing a minimal amount
of time due to experience. He'll be on the two-deep at least, no matter
which side he's slated to play.

Cornealius Fuamatu-Thomas – With an apparent medical
granted to him based on an early season-ending injury in 2004, Cornealius
comes back with more experience at tackle than anyone else. I don't know
that, that is such a good thing, because Thomas got beat pretty
consistently last year. Whether it's his quickness off the line or still
not totally grasping the offense, he struggled more often than not. He's
got the experience, though, and with yet another green group of outside
blockers, he should see plenty of time.

Brock Pasteur – He's got the strength as that is all
anyone talked about once he arrived at Nebraska. But he never did get the
offense down to the point he was going to see the field for a meaningful
amount of reps. He's had an entire year now to do that, so Brock now has
to put that impressive physicality to good use.

Chris Patrick – Not the prototypical tackle by this
staff's definition in regard to size, but Patrick has the strength and the
sheer physical ability to pull it off. What he might lack is simply that
innate ability to be a tackle in this offense. I would expect that he'll
get plenty of time this spring to prove he's playing the right position or
whether or not he should be moved back inside.

Lydon Murtha – He's physically got the upside to be
an ideal tackle and a darn good one, but he hasn't quite managed to
combine that with the ability to play his position instinctively. His
youth could have something to do with it, because it seems that he's
thinking out there more than he should. Murtha has the aggressiveness that
coach Wagner likes so much, but as long as he's tentative in his play,
it's going to be hard for him to stay on the field.

Mike Huff – He's got the size and definitely the
strength, but it would appear it's either the offense that's keeping him
relegated to the bench or there's something else. To look at him, Huff is
a specimen and he's got pretty good quickness overall. Going into his
third year now at Nebraska, Huff has to make a stand and show up or he's
going to get passed by some of those that are either coming in or have
been waiting in the wings to get healthy or their shot to play.

The next category is "It's About Time". This is meant to indicate
those players, who for reasons of injury, redshirting or something else, didn't
appear on the field last season. It's those players that could definitely make
an impact in their first year on the field.

Andy Christensen – It's arguable, but not overly,
that Christensen's loss was the biggest this group had going into last
year. Throughout the entire off-season and practices leading up to the
season Christensen was proving that it didn't matter which guard position
it was, he was taking one and it was doubtful he was giving it back.

He's strong, uses his leverage very well and this kid has an
attitude. It's that kind of attitude that you want to see down in the
trenches. He's just as soon as hit you as look at you and if he can stay
healthy, one of the starting guard spots should be his.

Jordan Picou – The praises have come over and over
about the potential of this junior college transfer. But he like every
other lineman that has transferred from the junior college ranks for the
fall, Jordan wasn't in shape to go his first year at Nebraska. Combine
that with eventual shoulder surgery, Picou got to sit back, absorb the
playbook as best as he could and see just where he fits in.

Jordan
has the talent, he's strong and like Christensen, he blocks with as much
tenacity as he does ability. Considering the fact that at just 6 foot, 2
inches tall, he's been slated to play tackle, that lets you know just how
much confidence the staff has in him.

Victory Haines – Unlike every other offensive lineman
who has transferred to Nebraska from the junior college ranks, Haines
should see the field his first year. His arriving in January is a big
reason for that as all of his predecessors at the position arrived in
fall, all either not in shape or not able to acclimate fast enough to get
on the field right away.

That along with his impressive frame and
ability to pass block make him extremely likely to break the two-deep as
early as this spring and possibly grab the starting position in fall.
Haines still has over a month to absorb the playbook before spring, so
he's got all the advantages the other JUCO linemen didn't have and I would
bet he takes full advantage.

Craig Roark – There were probably more than a couple
of tense moments for Roark last year, wondering if he would have to
sacrifice his redshirt to help a struggling offensive line. Fortunately
for him that didn't happen and this great point-of-impact player can now
take his shot at cracking the two-deep this spring.

Roark was
initially going to be a center, but it looks now as if he he'll move to
the guard position, which is fine, because either side will have plenty of
bodies thrown in there to see what kind of combination surfaces. The
physicality and the playbook were issues with Roark last season, but let's
face it – there isn't a player on this offense, who hasn't had the exact
same issues. With a year under his belt of just learning and getting
bigger, it's time to see what Roark can do.

Rodney Picou – Rodney had the frame coming in, which
said that you could develop him into a physically daunting lineman. Now he
just needed the time to get the offense down, the techniques learned and
get strong enough for the position.

All that has been a work in
progress which has been slowed by shoulder surgery. He shouldn't have any
problems with knowing the offense, but knowing it and executing it in an
actual game are very different. Where he is at physically will be the
biggest question right now and it won't take long in the spring before we
realize where that is

Jacob Hickman – Now finally being able to take the
field, a year of working out, getting bigger and stronger has hopefully
paid off. Hickman is slated to work at center and honestly, despite the
fact that Kurt Mann will be a two-year starter coming in, I think this
position is possible to take. If you are someone that can run the offense,
but also dominate at the point of impact, something Mann hasn't done
consistently since he took over the spot, you've got a shot at the
position.

With the two major categories taken care
of, let's wind it up with a possible depth chart coming out of the spring,
which, of course, is worthless when it's all said and done. It's the fall that
matters, but who has the advantage going into the fall does have the advantage
overall. With just three weeks to learn the offense, those coming in have a
significant challenge and while they may be physically ready to go, mentally,
that's a whole different issue.

If this tells you anything, it tells you that the
Nebraska coaches did what they needed to do in addressing many of the needs on
the offensive line, some of them dire. But considering the fact that three of
those linemen slated right now as starters (Mann, Austin, Fuamatu-Thomas) are
seniors, that means for the class of 2007, there will have to be yet another
solid crop of bigguns coming in. Ideally, you'd like to see another five.

The good news for 2008 is that none of those juniors right now (Jordan
Picou, Brock Pasteur, Chris Patrick, Brett Byford) are current starters. I say
that's good news, because when you are rebuilding, which this staff is most
certainly doing in regard to the offensive line, it's nice to know that you are
going to have a few of these guys around for awhile.

It seems that for
years now we have been saying of the offensive line that they are a young group
going into the season. Between injuries, departures and guys that simply don't
work out, that's been pretty much the case. This group has arguably been void of
that kind of continuity you want since way back in 1997 when Tom Osborne was
still at the helm.

There's no position that isn't a work in progress,
regardless of how good it is, but this group epitomizes the term. It's been an
on-going process, sometimes a frustrating one, at finding a group that not only
works well together, but can execute on the field. For Dennis Wagner, it's his
job to figure out who fits and who doesn't, which players work and which don't
and who has the aggressiveness to bring back some sort of intimidation along one
of the most storied units in Nebraska history.

And it all starts back up
this spring.

Stay tuned to see what happens and stay tuned for our next
segment as we continue the countdown to spring. Next up……….Wide
Receiver